The Work-Life Equation: Ep. 18 Work & Life After Twins

We loved getting to know Jessica Alpert Silber! If you’re an avid podcast listener, you’ve probably come across her work at some point – she’s the managing producer of podcasts for WBUR, the NPR station in Boston, Massachusetts. She’s got an incredible resume of work, including Circle Round, which is WBUR’s first podcast for children. She says in trying to fight the great battle against “screen time” she wanted to direct her children to podcasts, but couldn’t find anything that she really liked for them. And of course, being a professional podcaster, she decided she would just create one herself – and that’s how Circle Round was born. They take traditional folktales, modernize it for this generation (admittedly, old folktales can sometime be a little scary, so these are much softer versions), and have Hollywood actors and actresses to voice the stories. They also wanted it to also be listenable for adults (trust me, children’s podcasts are often NOT adult-friendly), and it prompts you at the end to engage in continuing conversation.

Talking to her about her podcasts, and other, much harder-hitting investigative news projects that she’s taken on as a journalist and producer (hello, round-the-clock profession), you’re just amazed at her ability to have that much…brain space. She has TWINS. I found myself mesmerized by her ability to work so efficiently, so intricately, so eloquently for her work, and still manage to get her kids to school on time every morning. She also goes to the gym in the morning…I know, that sounds even more incredible. But the truth is, she’s the first to tell you, it is very hard work to make this work. It’s exhausting, and at times, you can lose your cool. But the bigger picture is in the victories: getting down the driveway with twins in a stroller for the very first time, learning to let go and ask for help, and finding the true version of teamwork in parenting with your partner.

She keeps it real in our conversation, adds enlightening and encouraging tips for parents of twins, gives us advice on how we can help our own friends that are twin moms, and lends a positive outlook toward work, and finding that balance working moms are constantly seeking. But for me, the biggest thing I got out of our conversation? Understanding that nature will do its thing for our kids, and to say thank you…to my husband.

I’m Naoko, graduate of the two-under-two club and producer of The Work-Life Equation podcast series. I’m constantly searching for the perfect balance point between work, life, parenting, friendships, and playing sports. I’m not a good sleeper, never was, and now will NEVER BE but I’m so in love with my incredibly fierce duo!